Cisco Indoor 802.11ac Access Point Comparison
In order to address these emerging trends, Cisco offers a new-generation of access points, the Cisco Aironet 3700, 3600, 2700, and 1700 for 802.11ac deployments Series, and the 3600, 2600, and 1600 Series. These access points extend spectrum intelligence, antenna density, and client acceleration to new price points in the mainstream. The product line also offers options that support the IEEE Wi-Fi standard, 802.11ac.
The second generation Cisco Aironet Access Point portfolio addresses a broad range of requirements for enterprise-class wireless services and provides industry-leading performance for secure and reliable radio-frequency (RF) connections. Whether you require entry-level wireless connectivity for a small enterprise, mission-critical coverage at thousands of locations, or best-in-class performance with investment protection for high-density environments, you can rely on Cisco’s broad access point portfolio.
The Aironet 2700 (3x4 MIMO) and 3700 (4x4 MIMO) are newer products and offer built-in support for 802.11ac via internal or external antennas, depending on the model.
The Aironet 2700 and 3700 are also slated to support the next generation Wave 2 module that will be released in the future as the development evolves. All three of these options are controller based (only) and support a wide selection of controller options.
Designed for small, medium-sized enterprise network, Cisco Aironet 1700 Series Access Points is entry-level access points that offes the latest 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology to meet the growing needs of today’s wireless network while providing offers the right value to help customers ease into 802.11ac networking.
The Cisco Aironet 1700 Series Access Points support 802.11ac Wave 1standard capabilities that allow you stay ahead of growing bandwidth requirements as:
• More wireless clients associate with the network
• More users tap into bandwidth-heavy multimedia applications
• Mobile workers increasingly use multiple Wi-Fi devices
The Cisco Aironet 1700 Series Access Points is a component of Cisco’s series of flagship, 802.11ac-enabled Aironet Series access points that deliver robust mobility experiences.
• Entry-level access point for small to midsized organizations, including retail, manufacturing, education, and branch offices
• Attractive price and performance for migrating to 802.11ac
• 802.11ac Wave 1 support with 3 x 3 MIMO, two spatial streams
• Cisco CleanAir Express spectrum intelligence across 20-, 40-, and 80-MHz-wide channels
• Optimized access point roaming which intelligently decides the correct access point as people move
• Multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) equalization for better uplink performance
The Cisco Aironet 2700 Series is a dual-band, 802.11ac supported Wi-Fi Access Point optimized for adding capacity and coverage to dense Wi-Fi networks. It also serves the performance needs of the latest BYOD clients now shipping with 802.11ac connections
Delivering high performance for any small, medium-sized, and large enterprise network, the Aironet 2700 Series uses a purpose-built chipset with best-in-class RF architecture. It has been created specifically to take advantage of all the new speed and function of the latest Wi-Fi technology standard but at a price point that lets you ease into 802.11ac networking.
The main Feature Comparison of Cisco Aironet 802.11ac G2 Series Indoor APs
From Left to Right: 1700 Series vs. 2700 Series vs. 3700 Series
Cisco Aironet 802.11ac G2 Series Indoor Access Points | 1700 Series | ||
Wi-Fi standards | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac |
Ideal for | Small and midsize enterprises | Midsize or large enterprises that require advanced features | Midsize or large enterprises that require mission-critical traffic |
Site type | Small and midsize offices, schools, warehouses | Midsize office, school or warehouse | Large office, midsize, or large warehouse |
Application performance profile | 802.11ac migration | High client density environments | High client density HD Video/VDI |
Future-proof modularity | N/A | N/A | Yes |
Crowded areas |
| Yes | Yes |
Number of radios | Dual (2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz) | Dual (2.4GHz and 5.0GHz) | Dual (2.4GHz and 5.0GHz) |
Max data rate | 867 Mbps | 1.3 Gbps | 1.3 Gbps |
MIMO radio design: spatial streams | 3 x 3:2 | 3 x 4:3 | 4 x 4:3 |
Client count/ClientLink client count | 200/- | 200/128 | 200/128 |
Autonomous access point option | Yes | Yes | Yes |
ClientLink 3.0 | Transmit beamforming with 802.11ac clients | ClientLink 3.0, adding 802.11ac support for enhanced connectivity with 802.11 a/g/n/ac clients ECBF with 802.11ac clients | ClientLink 3.0, adding 802.11ac support for enhanced connectivity with 802.11a/g/n/ac clients |
CleanAir 2.0 | CleanAir Express -- with 80 MHz channel support | Yes -- with 80 MHz channel support | Yes - 80 MHz channel support |
GPS | |||
Backhaul | |||
DOCSIS3.0 capability | |||
LTE Coexistence | |||
VideoStream | Yes | Yes | Yes |
BandSelect | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Rogue access point detection | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Adaptive wireless intrusion protection system (wIPS) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
OfficeExtend | Yes | Yes | Yes |
FlexConnect | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Power | 802.3af, 802.3at PoE+, Enhanced PoE | 802.3at PoE+, Enhanced PoE | 4 x 4:3 operation: 802.3at PoE+, Enhanced PoE, Universal PoE (UPOE) |
Temperature range | 1700i: 0 to 40°C | 2700i: 0 to 40° | 3700i: 0 to 40°C |
Antennas | 1700i: Internal | 2700i: Internal | 3700i: Internal |
Limited lifetime warranty | Yes | Yes | Yes |
*Planned for future support
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